


Bloom

by nerdsaretotallyawesome



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, F/M, Herbology Class (Harry Potter), also don't enjoy to write in the you format i'm sorry, but i didn't describe her much, i tagged this luke/you because the main character is named, so that's open for interpretation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-05 03:13:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16802512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdsaretotallyawesome/pseuds/nerdsaretotallyawesome
Summary: I choke on air a little bit and look at the professor, surprised. Luke? I look to my left and Luke just smirks at me, not showing any emotion. And why would he? Luke Hemmings is not my friend.Working on this herbology assignment suddenly becomes even worse than it already sounded.





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! So this is different for me, but I'm enjoying writing this fic so much that I decided to share it here!
> 
> Huge thank you to EmpireOfLight and hannehier (whose incredible fic Dirtha'vhen'an you should definitely check out) for proofreading and being awesome <3
> 
> Follow me on tumblr for more 5sos content: burncrashbromance.tumblr.com  
> I'm cross posting this fic on there as well.

Herbology is easily my worst subject. It’s embarrassing to be a Hufflepuff who is bad at what seems to be the defining subject for our house, but then again I’ve always hated clichés. 

The greenhouse is packed with students and the day is sunny, so it’s nice and toasty in here. Too bad that I feel out of place. Professor Sprout is explaining something at the front of the class but I’m lost in thought looking at the plant in front of me; it’s got bright yellow flowers and is softly humming a soothing tune. We can’t touch it though; it bites. Or so I’ve been told. The gloves I have on have multiple scratch marks on them already; a testament to my lack of green fingers. My friend Alix nudges me in the ribs and my head snaps up right when professor Sprout seems to be talking about an assignment.

“You’ll be paired up and the exercise is to take care of the plant in front of you for a month,” she explains, pointing at the plants in front of us, “You have to write up a report of how it’s doing throughout the month and need to bring it to class. If you take care of it well, the plant will be fully grown at that point and the flowers should emit a full song that can cure most headaches.” I look over at Alix and want to snort. There’s no way I can keep this alive. That’s not cynicism; it’s realism. Luckily though, Alix is the epitome of a garden witch and if I pair up with her, there’s no way it can go wrong. Alix has been my best friend since I started here, and we’ve been through a lot together. An assignment like this should be a piece of cake with her. But then Professor Sprout takes out a piece of parchment and clears her throat again. The parchment unfolds comically, but it’s less funny once she starts talking.

“For this exercise, I’ve paired you up. This way you’ll learn how to work together with someone new, which is an important skill in herbology.” Panic surges through me as I look across the room. Brigette, my other best friend, looks at me and shakes her head, as if she’s saying ‘don’t fuss, Lucy, you’ll be okay’. Well, how can she know? I swallow hard and wait to hear my name. This class is comprised of sixth-year Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors. I know most people by name, but a lot of them I only have a vague idea about. I mostly keep to myself and my friends, so I’m not exactly popular.

“Alix Bridgewater and Nolwenn Sweet.” Professor Sprout calls out, and I see Alix’s shoulders sag in relief. Nolwenn is a kind girl. I see Alix give Nolwenn a nod, her brunette bob swaying a little.

“Jake Holmes and Brigette Masters.” Brigette rolls her eyes as Jake points finger guns at her, the Gryffindor excitedly standing next to her. Ok, so Sprout is not pairing me up with my friends, which I should have expected. But then who? The pool becomes smaller and smaller as more names are called out, people pairing up at an alarming rate.

“Lucy Graves and Luke Hemmings.” I choke on air a little bit and look at the Professor, surprised. Luke? I look to my left and Luke just smirks at me, not showing any emotion. And why would he? Luke Hemmings is not my friend. In fact, I’ve done my best to avoid him and his band of friends as much as possible. As far as social circles go, him and I are on the opposite sides of the spectrum. Is this some kind of joke? I don’t even know if he’s any good at herbology. If we’re both bad at this, we’re screwed. Professor Sprout dismisses the class after she finishes reading her list and I turn to Alix again, sighing.

“So, you and Luke, huh? That’ll be interesting.” She says as we lift up the pots with the plants and place them in their respective holders at the side of the greenhouse. Even with my careful handling, the plant still manages to snag my index finger as I set it down.

“Kill me now, please. I’ve never even talked to him before. You got off well with Nolwenn, you lucky bastard.” I say, looking down at the plant I’m supposed to keep alive. Poor thing. 

“Hey, you’ll be okay. It’s just some homework. You don’t have to become his best friend.” I snort. 

“As if Luke and I could ever be anything but acquaintances.” I take off the gloves and tuck my hair behind my ears. Brigette painted the ends purple with a spell a few days ago. 

The truth is that I’ve never considered Luke to be someone I could get along with; he seems cocky at best and is probably rude at worst. There’s no use trying to become friends with someone like him, he wouldn’t give me the time of day anyway. This assignment better be over fast.

“Well, better get that acquaintance started. He’s coming over.” She winks and turns on her heel, joining Nolwenn and Brigette at the end of the greenhouse. I close my eyes for a second and collect myself. When I face Luke, my face betrays nothing.

“Hi, partner.” He says simply. I resist the urge to roll my eyes.

“Hey, partner.” I shoot back, gauging his reaction. He just smirks again, tucking a strand of errant blond hair behind his ear. The sun lights up his curls. He’s easily two heads taller than me.

“So, how do you want to do this? Professor said we need to do some preliminary research. Meet in the library this weekend after Quidditch?” He suggests. I look at him, taken aback. 

“Uh, yes. Sure. Meet you there.” I say, eyeing his face. He looks back at me, completely neutral. He nods at my reply and says bye. And that’s it. 

I’m the last to leave the greenhouse, questioning what my life has become.


	2. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note that this fic is finished, I'm mainly uploading it chapter by chapter because I prefer it that way.

The weekend comes around and Alix needs to remind me that I need to calm down.

“Seriously, what’s gotten into you? I thought you didn’t like Luke.” She says over a spoonful of porridge. I squirm in my seat and shoot her a look.

“I don’t like him. It’s just making me nervous that I need to talk to him. He seems like… like…” I struggle to find the words.

“Like someone you could like?” I groan and push away my breakfast plate, half uneaten. Alix doesn’t understand.

“We’re just so different, that’s it. I don’t feel comfortable spending time with him. He’d never even look at me unless he had to.” I cross my arms over my chest and rest them on the table. 

“Sorry to be harsh here Lucy, but you don’t have a choice. And come on, it’ll be okay. He at least seems like he actually wants to put in some work.” Brigette chimes in. I have to agree with her on that. I sigh and shake my head.

“Okay, that’s it. I’ll have to suck it up and just go for it. In any case, I hope he knows more about herbology than I do.” Alix snorts and we keep chatting about nonsense until finally it’s time for Quidditch.

Gryffindor are playing Ravenclaw today, so the Hufflepuff stand is quieter than usual. Some people have donned different house colours to support friends from other houses, but my friends and I just wear our usual clothes. I spot Luke in the crowd, which isn’t difficult. He easily towers above all of us. He’s wearing two scarves; one Ravenclaw and one Gryffindor. He looks a bit silly but he somehow makes it work. 

The match is a hard fought one, but Gryffindor end up beating Ravenclaw by 20 points. I involuntarily watch Luke and see him cheer for both teams equally. I wonder what’s up with that. I see Alix looking at me from the corner of my eye now and again, but she says nothing. When the match ends, we pack up our stuff and leave the stand. People are pouring out of the stadium, talking excitedly.

“Quite a match, wasn’t it? That Ashton is quite the Beater.” Brigette says as we make our way down the stairs.

“Ashton who?” I ask.

“Ashton Irwin. He’s one of the Beaters for Gryffindor.” I nod and rack my brain to remember who he is. I must’ve seen him, but I’m not sure.

“Lucy wouldn’t know, Brig. She was too busy looking at Luke.” I roll my eyes so hard they might fall out of my head, and I shoot daggers at Alix.

“Alix, please! I was just wondering why he was wearing two scarves, that’s all. Since when have you become so attuned to everything I do?” I shoot back, only half annoyed. Alix can be astute, but she’s still my best friend.

“Since you’re being weird, my friend. But I’ll drop it, seems like it’s a sensitive subject.” She winks as she says it, but I don’t reply. It’s no use anyway.

Lunch is an odd experience. The Great Hall is still buzzing from the match, the Gryffindors being applauded as they walk in. I’ve never quite understood the fuss about sports, but that’s just me. Brigette and Jake are in a heated debate about the best kind of fertilizer to use for their plant, which is uncharacteristic for her. It’s like she enjoys riling him up. Anyhow, it’s quite entertaining.

After lunch, I run up to my dormitory to collect some things. As I check myself in the mirror before I leave, I smooth down my hair and straighten the skirt I’ve put on. Being out of uniform on the weekends is one of the small ways in which I find a little freedom, since we all look the same during the week. The shirt I’m wearing has a Muggle band on it that I adore, and I’ve put on slightly more makeup than I usually would. The dark lipstick complements the purple in my hair nicely. I think to what Luke and I agreed on. We’re supposed to meet in the library. I’ve never seen him in there before, but I have to admit that I never specifically looked there for him, either. 

Alix is off with Brigette to sit outside on the castle grounds to enjoy some of the good weather. I sit down at a vacant library table and take out some parchment and a quill. The library is quiet, which is probably due to people studying outside since the weather has been so nice lately. I play with the hem of my skirt as I wait, thinking of things that could happen. I always do that. Mostly they’re disastrous scenarios. 

So far, Luke has been exactly like I imagined he would be. Distant, trying to be suave, tall. You can’t really act tall, but somehow he does. I’m trying to figure out why he makes me feel so weird, but I can’t put my finger on it. I just tell myself it’s because he seems like the kind of person who would pass me by without a second glance if we weren’t in this situation.

Five minutes after I’ve sat down, Luke walks in, his bag slung over his shoulder. He’s in his regular clothes, like I am, except he somehow makes it look more special. He’s wearing striped pants and a black shirt, a leather jacket over it. When he sits down, I realise I’ve been staring.

“Hey, Lucy.” He says, and I smile, almost involuntarily. 

“Hi, Luke.” I take up my quill and start fiddling with it. He eyes my hands and looks at me.

“So, you ready for the assignment?” He asks, taking out parchment and a quill of his own. Some of his parchment is earmarked but when he starts writing, it’s neat and precise. His head is bent over the parchment, carefully jotting things down. The curls on the top of his head threaten to tickle my cheek if I don’t sit away.

“I was thinking of making a list of properties for the plant first and then explaining them. And then maybe we could see what properties our plant develops during the month.” I’m once again taken aback by how down to business he is. No fooling around, no comments. I don’t know if that’s better or worse than I expected.

“Uh, I’m really not good at this. But yes, what you said sounds good.” I say, and I feel foolish. I need to make myself sound at least a little smarter. I tuck my hair behind my ears, a nervous habit, and speak up.  
“Perhaps we could check on the plant every other day, and note the changes?” I propose, and he nods. 

“Yes, I was thinking that too. Keep a close eye on it. Maybe we can meet at the greenhouse every other day and write together? That way we’re sure we’re doing equal work.” All I can do is nod. Luke looks up from his writing and smiles a little at me.

“Is something wrong? You’re very quiet. I see you with your friends and you’re never that quiet then.” He looks down at the table when he stops speaking, and I stare at him. How does he know that? 

“I… I don’t know. I guess because I don’t know you that well.” I manage to get out, and I want to sink into the ground. It’s the truth, but it also feels like the worst excuse ever. Hey, Lucy, why can’t you behave like a normal person?

“Well, then we should get to know each other. I’d rather have a partner who talks than someone who only nods, no offense.” I want to bristle at his comment, and I almost bite something back, but I realise he’s being quite reasonable.

“That’s fair. Although I wouldn’t know what we could talk about besides the assignment.” I say, turning my quill over in my hands. 

“Then let’s start there.” He says simply.

And just like that, Luke Hemmings somehow becomes my friend.


	3. 3

“Okay… the flowers are definitely changing from yellow to orange.” I observe, Luke taking notes on the piece of parchment on his lap.

“Their song has changed, too. The melody is more complex.” Luke says without looking up. We’re sitting on stools in front of our plant. I try to water it gently and almost get my finger bitten straight off.

“Damn! Stupid teeth.” I pull back my gloved hand and inspect it. The greenhouse is once again bathed in light, the atmosphere nice and warm. This is day 4 of the assignment. So far, Luke and I have talked about nothing but plants, and that’s been going well, somehow.

We made the list of properties, pouring over herbology books and piecing it together. Apparently, this plant is quite special, not only because it sings, but also because it’s labelled as ‘quasi-sentient’, which creeps me out. Luke explained to me that plants like that can develop bonds to people, remember the sound of their voices, read their emotions, even react to it. I try not to shiver at the thought of a plant trying to comfort me when I’m sad. The last thing I’d want is a plant with teeth in my vicinity.

Aside from that, he’s also seen me be a complete idiot at herbology, when I tried to look at a special kind of cactus and it almost exploded in my face. He pulled me back right before it happened. I’ve noticed, though, that Luke has a bit of a façade going on. Not that I know him that well. But I’ve noticed he loses a little of that nonchalance whenever it’s just us two talking.

“It’s a miracle you’ve made it to sixth year.” He says, and with a bemused grin, I realise he’s teasing me. Putting my glove back on, I think of what to say.

“Well, it’s a miracle your cheeks haven’t set themselves permanently in that smirk of yours.” I shoot back. I stand up from the stool and stretch my legs a bit. We have class in an hour; I didn’t think we’d be done so fast with the assignment today. Keeping this plant alive is not such a big deal, as it turns out. Luke figured out a schedule to water it and keep the soil fresh, making it that much easier to stay on track. All I’ve done so far is getting scratches.

“That’s fair. Anyway,” he says, standing up next to me, “where are you heading? I’m meeting my friends in the Great Hall.” I tell him I’m meeting my friends there as well, which is just great. More time to talk.

“How are they doing with the plants?” Luke asks, clearly trying to keep up the conversation. I can’t imagine him actually caring that much.

“Well, Alix says she’s doing fine, but Brigette is having some difficulties with her partner.” I don’t feel like expanding on that, so I divert the question.

“How about your friends?” I look over at him and am greeted by his blue eyes looking back at me. I’d never before noticed that he has kind eyes. Why am I noticing that?

“Ashton’s lost, I think his partner never shows up for their meetings. I’ve been helping him out a little. Calum and Michael somehow got grouped together, which is unfair, but maybe Sprout thought they weren’t friends since they’re always making comments at each other.” I laugh, shaking my head.

“Isn’t Ashton in the Gryffindor Quidditch team?” I ask, thinking back to my conversation with Brigette that day of the match. Luke nods, and he holds open a door for me as we make our way through the castle.

“Yes, he’s their Beater. Calum and Ashton have a bit of a friendly rivalry going on; Calum is the Beater for Ravenclaw.” I nod, things slowly clicking into place.

“Oh! Is that why you wore both scarves?” I ask, and I scrunch up my nose when I think about how that sounded. Luke just laughs.

“Yes, exactly. You saw that?” Well, how do I respond to that? Better to be vague.

“Yes. Uh… I saw you in passing that day, you stood out with the scarves, that’s all.” I don’t know if that did any damage control at all. I clear my throat and thankfully, we arrive at the Great Hall.

“Well, see you in class!” I say quickly, waving and walking off. As I walk towards my friends, I notice a small group of boys in varying house robes. They look at me when I walk past them, which is odd, until I hear them call Luke’s name. So those are his friends, then.

“How was it?” Alix asks as I sit down. I don’t know what to say.

“It was… oddly pleasant. We talk about plants the whole time, because I wouldn’t know what else to say. Luke’s somehow not as distant as I thought he was.” I say, not really realising what I’m saying. Alix quirks an eyebrow.

“What did you base that on though? You never talked to him before.” Alix remarks.

“I don’t know… he walks around like he owns the castle. I just thought that meant he really was like that.” Alix laughs, but it’s a gentle laugh, as if she’s indulging me.

“People can surprise you, you know. Your opinion of him is something you control, not him.” She puts away some books as I process her words.

“So you’re saying I’ve judged him without knowing if any of it was true?” I ask, trying to make some sort of conclusion.

“Basically, yes. And now you’re realising he’s not who you thought he was, and you get confused. It was exactly the same when we first became friends.”

That’s true. Alix and I met on the Hogwarts Express on the very first day. At first I didn’t even say anything because she intimidated me so much. I imagined she must be really tough and scary, even though we were both 11. But then she introduced herself and I learned that she was the opposite of what I had assumed. Later, I confided in her what my first impression had been.

Alix really is wise beyond her years. Which also means that she dishes out some hard truths. And usually they’re truths I need to hear.


	4. 4

I’m going to do something I might regret.

Luke is packing up his things after our little meeting at the end of the day. Our plant is growing nicely, somehow surviving my terrible attempts at keeping it alive. We’ve entered the second week of the assignment, the days going by at an alarming rate. Our report is growing steadily as well, so we might need to cut some bits from it when we hand it in since we have so much data. 

Aside from that, Luke and I have been spending more time together, of course. We talk about other things besides plants sometimes now, which is weird. It’s also the reason why I’m about to say what I’m half dreading to say.

I gather my courage as I say his name.

“Luke?” His head turns to me and a soft smile is on his lips. He has dimples in his cheeks sometimes, especially when he smiles like that. 

“Yes?” He says, prompting me to go on. I try not to show any nerves.

“I wanted to ask if you feel like working on the assignment tonight. We have some extra writing to do since the plant is developing so much and-“ My question dies on my lips as he begins to frown. Why did I think this was a good idea? Even if it’s about homework, why would he want to spend even more time of his day with me? 

“I’ve actually got some potions homework to do tonight. I’m way behind.” He says, turning to me. I eye his face and conclude he’s not making up an excuse; we do have potions homework.

“You mean the essay on amortentia? Can I help you with that? I’m bad at herbology but potions is my best subject.” I say, not knowing if I’m overstepping a boundary. Luke smiles brightly.

“That would be great! Are you sure it’s not a nuisance though? You don’t have to help me.” My heart sinks a little, and I’m unsure how to reply. I do anyway.

“No, I mean, I’ve already finished it and I’d like to be of help. It’s not a problem.” I stand up and throw my bag over my shoulder. The cardigan I’m wearing feels hotter than usual. 

“Then yes, I’d appreciate it. Find me after dinner?” He asks me, and I nod. He smiles at me again and I smile back, the tension in my shoulders easing a little. I don’t know what has gotten into me lately, but spending time with Luke somehow makes me want to spend more time with him. I really did judge him too harshly before.

***

“And then he, and I’m not exaggerating, took our plant and it bit him right in the face! He’s with Madam Pomfrey now, she almost had a fit when she saw him.” Brigette is telling an exciting story about how her assignment is going. Alix laughs and I stir my pasta around on my plate, only half listening. 

“Jake is a weird one.” Alix remarks, and Brigette hums in agreement.

“And how are things with Lukey?” Alix asks me, prompting me to drop my fork. I look at her and see that she and Brigette are sharing a look.

“Lukey? Is that new?” I ask, laughing. Alix shrugs.

“A nickname seems appropriate somehow. But you didn’t answer my question.”

“Things are good. The plant is alive and we’re getting along. Actually…” I say, trailing off. I don’t know if I even want to tell them, but I’ll have to.

“I’m helping him with homework tonight.” I say, looking down at my plate again. Brigette makes a small sound of surprise and I can practically feel Alix’s eyes burning into the side of my skull.

“You mean with the assignment? I thought he was the one helping you?” She says, confused.

“No, it’s potions. The essay we have to turn in at the end of the week.” I finish my plate and wait for it to disappear. 

“So you’re hanging out?” Brigette asks. She pushes her plate away as well, and rests her chin in one of her hands. 

“I guess so. But it’s still for school, it’s not a big deal.” I say, and I know they don’t believe me. Why are they so pressed? It’s not like it means anything. Even though thinking about spending more time with Luke is making me feel some kind of nervous. But I was the one who asked him to hang out, so it’s my own fault. I’m confused even by my own thinking.

“Of course, Lucy. We’re just teasing you. When are you meeting him?” Brigette asks, digging a spoon into the pudding that just appeared in front of us.

“I’m supposed to find him after dinner, so he’ll be here somewhere.” I say, looking around. I think I see him sitting at the end of the table, near the Professors’ table at the front. He’s laughing about something with some people. I look away when he turns his head.

“Sounds good.” Alix says, and we silently finish our dessert. Alix is meeting Nolwenn at the greenhouse and Brigette feels obligated to visit Jake, so they leave me after dessert. Alix can’t help but wink at me though. 

I stand up from the bench, trying to do it as dignified as possible, which is a challenge. I look at where I saw Luke earlier but don’t spot him. Frowning, I cast my gaze over the room, finally finding him at the Ravenclaw table, where he’s sitting with the other boys I saw a couple of days before. It makes me nervous that I need to pull him away from his friends, but there’s no use procrastinating. I walk over to the long table, trying to be casual.

When I approach, I recognise Ashton and he looks at me, beaming. They’re joking about something when I get there, and the conversation lulls.

“Lucy! You ready to help a potions disaster?” Luke says, standing up. His tie is loose, the top two buttons of his shirt undone. His collarbones pop out slightly and I pull away my eyes from them.

“Uh, yes. Are you ready?” I ask, feeling a slight blush creeping over my cheeks. 

“He’s ready, don’t worry.” A Slytherin boy says, and I look over at Luke again.

“Right, that’s Michael, resident smart ass. This is Calum and this is Ashton.” They all do a little wave.

They look funny together, all representing a different house. But they seem to be okay. Why did I think they would be douchebags? Once again I’m faced with my own prejudice. I wave back at them and smile, not knowing what else to do.

“Let’s go.” Luke says, and I join him as he walks in the direction of the double doors out of the Great Hall. I wave goodbye at the rest of the boys again and Calum and Ashton look at each other, as if they’re sharing a private thought. 

“Sorry about my friends, they’re weird sometimes.” He says, pulling a hand through his golden hair. 

“Don’t worry about it. They seem nice, though.” I say, speaking the truth. 

“You sound surprised.” He observes.

“Oh? Yeah, I don’t know. I didn’t know how they would receive me, you know. It’s like how I didn’t know at first if we,” I gesture between the two of us, “would get along.” I feel silly admitting it, but Luke nods understandingly.

“Luckily we do, right?” He says, smiling down at me. I smile back and look down, flustered without wanting to be.

Luke and I end up spending most of the evening in the library, pouring over his essay. He can’t seem to grasp the subject, and I feel for him. If he feels as lost in potions as I do in herbology, he must be feeling pretty bad.

“So the conclusion would be that…” He says, scratching his brow with the feather end of his quill.

“… that amortentia is a dangerous substance, even if it seems harmless.” He says, looking at me. His eyes seem to be asking for confirmation. I nod slowly, adding another sentence to it.

“Ah yes, makes sense. Thanks.” He writes it down quickly.

“No problem.” I say, rolling back my shoulders. Sitting in this cramped position is making my body ache a little, but I don’t want to disturb Luke’s concentration. He adds the last punctuation mark to his essay with a flourish and puts down the quill.

“That’s it, I’m done. I can’t believe I finished it. Thank you for helping me.” He says, turning to me. In the small space we’re both taking up next to each other, I notice the faint freckles on his cheeks. I’d never noticed them there before. The candles in the library are giving off a faint glow, just enough so that my eyes don’t strain.

“You’re welcome. Uh…” I say, neither of us moving. Clearing my throat, I check the time.

“Oh, it’s just gone 9 pm. We should probably head back.” I say, closing the small pot of ink he’d been using. Luke looks at the essay and starts rolling it up carefully. He puts it away in his bag, his hair falling forward, the curls tumbling around. He has such lovely hair. Ugh, stop it Lucy, this doesn’t help.

We make our way from the library to the Hufflepuff common room, talking about school. When we get to the hallway where the painting is, Luke stops walking.   
“What do you say we go ask the house elves for extra dessert?” He asks, and I look at him with an undoubtedly confused expression. There’s a glint of excitement in his eyes.

“You mean walk into the kitchens and demand more food? Isn’t that… rude?” I say, fiddling with one of the rings on my finger. Luke laughs at my worried expression and tries to reassure me.

“They’re always up to make something if you ask. Come on, it’s one of the perks of being in this house! Don’t tell me you’ve never done it before?” He says, walking backwards towards the kitchens, his body turned towards me. I shrug.

“Of course I know people do it. I just never thought to try it out.” I say sheepishly. 

“I promise we won’t get in trouble, and if I’m ever rude, you’re allowed to scold me. Now come on, cake awaits!” He says, gesturing me to follow him. Rolling my eyes, I give in to his arguments and make my way towards him.

***

“Miss Lucy! Do you want another slice?” A friendly house elf called Binky says. I shake my head, my mouth too full to reply properly. Luke is sat next to me, holding a mug of hot chocolate. His amused expression tells me that I must look silly. I swallow the bite of cake and say: “Really, I’ve had enough. Thank you so much.” Binky nods and walks off, followed by a small army of other house elves. Luke sets down his mug and smiles at me.

“Wasn’t this a great idea?” He prompts, making me quirk an eyebrow at him.

“I’ve eaten my weight in cake.”

“And?” He says.

“… and it was awesome. Happy now?” I concede, making Luke smile from ear to ear. I shake my head and stand up from the table, flicking off the crumbs that have accumulated on my robes. He stands up next to me, finishing his hot chocolate in one go. He has a bit of a moustache after that.

“You got a little something there, it’s highly amusing.” I point to my own upper lip, and he laughs and cleans it off with the back of his hand. We walk back to the door of the kitchens, waving bye to the house elves. Closing the door behind us, I turn to Luke.

“Thank you for that, that was fun. Even though I feel like I need to be rolled into the common room.” I joke, taking a deep breath. He smiles down at me.

“You’re welcome. I’m happy you came along. I’m happy we’re friends.” He says, and his eyes go slightly big after he says it, as if he didn’t mean to. I blink at him, taken completely by surprise.

“Yes. Yes, I’m happy we’re friends, too.” I say, smiling at him. He relaxes a bit and his dimples show again, and I forget that we’re supposed to be in the common room in 5 minutes.


	5. 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is super fluffy, because I can't help myself, but prepare for some angst next chapter!

The following week is one of the best of my days here at Hogwarts. Alix, Brigette and I take full marks on a transfiguration test, and I can now transfigure my owl into a rat. Should come in handy, I guess.

Alix is still giving me a hard time over Luke, so I try not to bring him up. I told them about our kitchen adventure and Alix said I’m fond of him if I allow him to insinuate me in breaking school rules.

“We weren’t breaking rules, it’s perfectly fine. If it wasn’t fine, the kitchens wouldn’t be open.” I reason, gesturing with my spoon. Alix rolls her eyes over her morning cup of tea.

“And now you’re defending him! Dear Cerce, he’s got you now.” I laugh, half annoyed and half embarrassed.

“And how are you doing with your partner?” I ask her, skilfully diverting the subject. I’ve gotten good at this.

“I’ll have you know, Nolwenn and I are doing great. In fact, next time we go to Hogsmeade, we’re going to shop for candy together. Her brother at home loves wizard candy, apparently.” I smile at her, happy it’s going well. She doesn’t even mention the assignment.

“Jake and I, on the other hand, are now discussing the benefits of Gillyweed versus a bubble charm.” Brigette says. Alix and I snort in unison, then high five each other.

“Jinx!”

“But the assignment is not even remotely about Gillyweed,” I say, “unless Luke and I are way off with our own research until now.” Brigette laughs and explains.

“We got bored talking about the assignment all the time, and we seem to have nothing in common except for herbology, so that’s how we got there.” I nod understandingly.

“Well, whatever works for you.” I say, and Brigette nods.

***

“Listen! Don’t you think the tune changed again?” Luke asks excitedly, bending closer to the plant. I don’t understand how he’s not scared of having his ear bitten off. I listen carefully and tell him he’s right, the tune has changed. It’s putting me at ease.

“That’s great! If it keeps going like that, it should be fully grown by the end of the month.” He says, noting it all down. I look from the plant to him. It’s been three weeks since we started, but somehow it feels like much longer than that. Luke looks up after he finishes writing.

“I think we’re good. Let’s water it and call it a day.” I take up my watering pot and carefully soak the soil. The plant, for once it seems, doesn’t take its chances on my extremities.

“Hey, do you think you could sneak away after dinner? I have something to show you.” He says. I eye him suspiciously, but his expression is open and friendly.

“This feels like a prank.” I say slowly, putting on my robes. He shakes his head as if to say ‘please, don’t be daft’, and says: “I promise you it’s not a prank. Trust me.”

Do I trust him? I suppose so, because I say ‘yes’ faster than I have time to think it through.

***

That night after dinner, after having endured Alix’s jokes and Brigette’s attempts at making Alix cool it, I find Luke once more. Ashton is sitting next to him, and he holds out his fist for what is to be the most awkward fist bump in human history. I laugh, embarrassed, but Ashton just beams. That boy is always beaming. I wonder what it’s like to be so happy all the time.

“Good evening! I hear all is well with your plant?” He says, giving me an easy in to the conversation.

“Yes! Although all the credit goes to Luke, I just kind of sit there most of the time.” I say, and this is not me trying to appear humble, it really is like that. Ashton laughs, Luke looking at me as if I should give myself more credit.

“Happy to hear it. Good thing you’ve got Lukey here, my partner on the other hand prefers to charm the plant into singing ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, which I hear is a Muggle song, and I hate/love it.” I crack up laughing, hardly believing he could be speaking the truth.

“And on that note, Lucy and I have somewhere to be.” Luke says, shaking Ashton’s hand. Ashton waves at me and we leave the Great Hall.

“Where are we headed?” I ask, my curiosity getting the best of me. Luke doesn’t really give me an answer, tells me to wait, and leads me to the dungeons, to a practice class room.

I’m thoroughly confused, until he walks briskly up to a shelf full of vials, with a note attached to it. Luke and I never have potions together, since our group is too large to have the class in one go, but if I recall correctly, we were supposed to be making amortentia this week…

“Look!” He says, handing me the vial. The note says ‘Luke Hemmings, H, Amortentia, A’. I beam at him when I finish reading, holding the vial like the precious cargo it is.

“You got full marks! Luke, that’s amazing!” I say, opening my arms and hugging him without thinking about it. He hugs me back, even lifting my feet off the ground, his curls tickling my cheek in exactly the way I imagined they would. When he puts me down, I have a hard time taking a step back.

“It’s all because of you! After the essay I finally understood what I was supposed to do, so brewing the potion was a piece of cake!” He says excitedly, eyes glittering. I’m still holding the vial, looking at the iridescent liquid.

“Oh please, you were still the one who had to brew it. I’m proud of you, you know.” I say, never feeling like I was more truthful than I was in this moment. I hand it back to him, and he puts it back in its holder. I wonder what it smells like. But no, I don’t want to know. Not really.

“Thank you. Now, to say thank you, I’ve asked the house elves to make you your favourite dessert.” He says, an almost smug smile appearing on his lips. A smile I once mistook for arrogance. A smile I now wish to see as much as possible.

“You know my favourite dessert?” I ask, laughing. I can’t help but be endeared.

“Yes! You told me that night we snuck into the kitchen! Red velvet cupcakes are waiting on you.” He says, grabbing my wrist and pulling me towards the door.

It was a good week indeed.


	6. 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for some angst!

The next weekend does not go as well. And that’s an understatement.

Hufflepuff are playing Quidditch against Slytherin today, and it started out well enough a couple of days before. Luke asked me whether or not I’m going to the match, saying: “Michael says he found a spell that makes a bunch of confetti shoot out from your wand. He’ll use it if Slytherin win. Well, he technically said ‘when’, but I’m not about to betray my house.” And I happily said I was going, even if it was just to see if Michael could pull it off.

So on the day of the match, my friends and I put on the most hideously Hufflepuff outfits we can find, for once putting effort into supporting our house.

The stand is loud and excited, and the teams are circling the Quidditch pitch when we arrive. I don’t see Luke right away, but I try to pay it no mind.

“Who do you think will win?” Brigette asks thoughtfully. Her long hair is wrapped in a bun, a bright yellow ribbon laced through it. She really is a genius with hair.

“Dunno. I’m just here for the drama.” Alix says, her eyes big and full of energy. I laugh at her, shaking my head.

“Since when are you such a Quidditch fan?” I ask her, keeping an eye out for Luke, even without wanting to.

“I’m not. I just like the atmosphere.” She says, shrugging. She turns back to the pitch and starts clapping her hands.

When the game is almost beginning, I see Luke emerge from the stairs of the stand. He’s wearing his house scarf and has yellow stripes on his face. Why on Earth does he still look good?

I’m about to wave at him when I notice he’s not alone. He’s talking to someone who emerges right after him, and my heart skips a beat. The girl he’s talking to is someone I’ve not really seen before, but one look at her is enough to know she’s gorgeous. Her blonde hair curls around her face, her smile enough to brighten a dreary day. I try not to let that fact get to me, and I try not to be an insolent child about it. But I do anyway. Alix, ever observant, follows my distracted gaze to where Luke is talking animatedly to the girl.

“Who’s she?” She asks, and I shrug. I rip my eyes away from them and try to focus on Madam Hooch, who has just blown her whistle and let the golden snitch escape.

“Dunno. But by the looks of it, they’re very close.” I say, basing that statement on the fact that they’re standing close enough together they’re practically sharing body heat.

I spend most of the match actively trying not to look at Luke, so of course that means I spend most of the match watching Luke. Since when have I become a jealous person? If Luke wants to spend time with an attractive girl who clearly likes him, he’s free to do so. But still, part of me wishes I’d never seen it.

Hufflepuff do end up losing, and the atmosphere in the stand diminishes progressively. The weather takes a turn halfway through the match, dark clouds taking over the sky. A couple of people are holding up their wands with an umbrella charm to combat the soft drizzle that’s falling down.

I almost forget about Michael.

When the Slytherin Seeker catches the snitch, a loud roar erupts from the Slytherin side of the stadium, the students ecstatic. Then, from somewhere in the crowd, a gigantic explosion of green and silver shoots out, clouding everyone in a 10 meter radius in a blanket of confetti. Laughter sounds through the stadium and the Slytherin students disperse quickly, not wanting to give away the culprit. It does wrench a laugh out of me, and the defeat of my house doesn’t feel nearly as heavy when you’re laughing.

I turn away before I get the chance to glance at Luke again.

During lunch, people are giving a standing ovation to the Slytherin team as they enter the Great Hall, Michael walking behind them, receiving applause of his own. Either the professors don’t notice or they don’t really care, but Michael gets away with it.

I’m not hungry, and I plan to spend the rest of my day wallowing in self-pity, until Alix says: “Hey, chin up. She might be a friend of his. He’s allowed to have friends, you know.” I close my eyes for a second, but I can’t seem to control my mouth.

“Of course he’s allowed to have friends. He’s allowed to have a girlfriend, too. He can have a girl on every finger! I couldn’t care less, what does it matter what I think anyway?!” I almost yell, feeling my voice rise in volume. I stutter out the last sentence and stand up, snatching up my sandwich to eat as I storm off. I don’t even look back to see if anyone noticed. I don’t care.

My feet take me to the greenhouse. I wipe away a stray tear from my face, a tear of anger, I tell myself. The sweater I’m wearing is stifling in this environment, so I take it off and throw it on a table. The plant Luke and I- The plant is sitting in its usual spot, and I go up to it with a fresh pair of gloves.

My heart sinks as I look at it. A flower has fallen off, leaving it with a large gap on the side. Its song is sombre, melancholic. I don’t dare touch it now, but I try to water it. It nips weakly at my hand. What’s wrong? I look at a small chart we have hanging off of the table – Luke’s idea – and it doesn’t look like the plant has been watered too much. I frown. Then what’s wrong with it? I let the chart fall out of my hand, the wood board clattering against the table. The sound startles me, and I shake my head to regain my senses.

As I spend time there, I have time to think. There’s no use denying it now; why would I be jealous of someone Luke hangs out with? Because somewhere, a part of me must like him, I guess. I suppose it was obvious. I want to yell, but instead it comes out as a sob. Why do I make things needlessly difficult? Do the assignment. Make it work. Don’t fall for him. Simple as Expelliarmus. Yet my dumb heart doesn’t listen to my dumb brain and now I’m sitting at the end of the greenhouse, in front of a plant that’s dying.

I sit there for a while. I take a small tour through the greenhouses to check what else is there, and find some amazing things. I also find some not-so-amazing things. Herbology truly is an interesting branch of magic, but one that will literally bite you in the butt. It’s after finding a not-so-amazing flesh eating fruit tree that I run into the last person I want to see right now.

“Lucy? I was looking for you. Are you okay? Your friends said you were upset.” Luke says, his expression filled with worry. I belatedly realise my eyes must be a little red and do a vain attempt at wiping my face. It’s no use.

“Checking up on the plant. It’s dying.” I say, matter-of-factly. I ignore the rest of what he says. Why would he check up on me or ask my friends?

“It’s what? Let me see.” He says, walking over to our plant. He kneels down in front of it, not caring about the potential bites. It doesn’t even try to make a go at him.

“It was like that when I got here.” I say, pointing at the flower that’s fallen off. He takes it gingerly in his hand and looks it over. The colour is fading from it. Its song seems to have picked up slightly, though.

“It looks like it’s sick somehow. Like…” He says, frowning deeply. He seems to be running something over in his head. He looks up at me and stands.

“When did we last check it?” He asks me, and I think back.

“Two days ago, like always.” I check the chart to make sure.

“And…”, he hesitates, “how did you feel two days ago?” He asks, and I can’t seem to follow why that would be a logical follow-up question. I shrug, trying to pass for being nonchalant.

“I was fine. I’m fine-“ He gives me a look, showing me he doesn’t believe that for a second. I shake my head.

“Okay yeah, regardless of how I feel…” I start to say, but the phrase dies on my lips. He’s looking intently at me, figuring out the puzzle at the same time as I am. Until something clicks in the way he’s looking at me and the flower.

“Merlin’s beard…” He whispers. My eyebrows knit together, and he realises I’m not catching on.

“It reads your mood. That’s why it’s sick right now. It has bonded to us, and if it senses something’s off, it withers.” He says, and I detect a sense of hurt in his voice. I stare at the plant, shocked that it actually bonded to us. Even though we’d read about it, I still doubted that was a real thing.

“Well then, sorry for ruining the assignment. It was bound to happen anyway.” I say, not caring about the venom in my voice. I’m still upset with him, and now it’s threatening to come out. He’s taken aback by my small outburst, and actually takes a step back as well.

“What’s gotten into you? I haven’t seen you all day and when I finally find you, you’re more than upset about something. You can tell me, you know.” I look at him, probably not cutting an impressive figure in my shirt and with a splotchy face, but I try regardless. The fact that he’s clueless somehow hurts more. I wish him to understand without me having to explain, but I know that’s impossible. Instead, I lash out.

“Don’t worry about it, Luke. You don’t have to care.” I say, and I see it cuts. He blinks, looks down, looks back up again and his eyes are betraying his hurt. My heart aches a little.

“Well then, have it your way. Come find me when you want to talk.” He bites, and he stalks off, leaving me feeling like the biggest fool at Hogwarts. I sink down to the ground and try not to cry, the plant above me singing its mournful tune.


	7. 7

I apologise to my friends first. 

Alix sees me and huffs, but I waste no time. We’re in our dormitory, I’ve just gotten back from the greenhouse and my disastrous encounter with Luke, and I’m ready to sleep and cry. But not until I at least try to get one thing right. I walk up to Alix and Brigette’s beds, both of them eyeing me.

“Hey, I don’t know if you want to talk right now, but I want to say that I’m so sorry. I’ve treated you unfairly, it wasn’t okay of me to react that way. I was upset but it didn’t give me the right. I hope you can forgive me.” I say, looking each of them in the eye. I know I was harshest to Alix, so I say: “You were right. I was just jealous and chose to work that out on you, I’m sorry.” I look down, waiting for them to say something. It’s silent for a moment and I’m scared they’re not ready to talk, but then Alix clears her throat.

“Apology accepted.” I sigh in relief, but I’m waiting for what she’s going to say next. 

“But don’t do that again. We’re your friends, Lu, we just watch out for you. We know you like him, even if you don’t want to admit that. But at least it’s good you realise you were in the wrong.” She opens her arms and I plop down in them, hugging her like there’s no tomorrow. Brigette joins us and together we sit there for a minute, hugging it out. When I let go, Brigette says something which makes my night both better and worse.

“You know, he came to us because he was looking for you.” Her voice is soft, as if she’s unsure of whether she should be saying this. I nod for her to go on.

“He saw you walk away and stuff. I think he was worried.” I sigh, looking down at my hands.

“He found me, alright. I sort of… yelled at him.” I say, squeezing my eyes shut. “Merlin, I messed up.”

“Today really wasn’t your day, was it?” Alix remarks, and I laugh darkly at the comment. 

“Sure wasn’t. But maybe it’s for the best. If Luke and I just finish the assignment and be done with it, we can go back to how it was before. Then my feelings won’t get in his way.” I say, standing up from Alix’s bed. Alix and Brigette share a look.

“What is it?” I ask, careful to keep my tone neutral. I’ve already upset people enough today.

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” Brigette asks carefully. I look between the two of them.

“What other option is there? There’s no way he’ll want to be my friend after this, let alone…” I don’t finish the sentence. “Besides, he’s clearly already taken.”

“You don’t know that. Talk to him, that’s the only way you’ll be sure. You can’t live life running away from problems.” Alix says, a yawn escaping her mouth as she says it. Even half asleep she could still crank out an inspirational quote.

“Fine. Maybe you’re right. But I still don’t know if he’ll want to hear it.” I say, putting on my pyjamas.

“You’ll have to find out.” Alix says, and before I fall asleep that night, I think her words over. 

I need to find Luke tomorrow.

***

Sunday is supposed to be a relaxing day, but the weather outside is so bad that the castle seems to be shrouded in darkness. Alix, Brigette and I drag ourselves to breakfast, most people looking sleepy and subdued. The mood between the three of us is better, and I’m thankful to have friends like them.

I see Luke. He’s sitting with the girl again, joined by Calum and Ashton. Without trying to be too obvious, I try to take a better look at her. She’s wearing formal clothes, which is weird, and she seems to be close to Calum as well as Luke and Ashton.

“When are you talking to him?” Alix asks me, once I get done staring. I look at her and take a piece of toast.

“I don’t know. What do I even say? Hey, yeah, sorry about that. I got super jealous of a girl I don’t even know and was upset that you’re not madly in love with me, my bad.” I say, taking a huge bite out of the toast. I’m pretty sure there’s marmalade all over my cheeks. I take a napkin and wipe my face as Brigette says: “Yeah, maybe not that. But you can at least start by apologising about yelling, that’s good.” I shrug, continuing to eat.

During breakfast I keep stealing glances at them sitting there, the girl still with them. At one point she looks over at me, and I pretend to be looking at some floating candles. 

“Maybe you should just get it over with. You have to see him for the assignment anyway.” Alix reasons, taking a sip from her cup of tea. 

“True. Today is watering day. Ugh, I have no choice, do I?” I say, feeling dramatic. Just as I look up from my now empty plate, Calum and Ashton walk by with the girl in tow. I hear a snippet of their conversation as they pass.

“… changed much, hasn’t it?” Calum says.

“No, it’s still the same.” She says, her voice soft. The heels she wears make small clack sounds on the tiles of the Great Hall. I watch them exit the Hall together, Calum and the girl sharing a laugh. 

Alix clears her throat and I spin my head around, only to be faced with Luke walking by us, him looking away when I look at him. I freeze until he’s passed us, then look at my friends.

“Do I go after him?” I follow him with my eyes and he makes a right turn out of the Hall.

“Just go. You can do it.” Alix says, making arm movements to shush me away. I stand up from the bench, take a deep breath, and follow him out. 

When I get to the doors of the Great Hall, though, all courage fades away. Luke is standing with Calum, Ashton and the girl, and they seem to be hugging each other goodbye. I stand back a bit, like the stalker I apparently am, and pick up just enough to make me want to sink through the ground.

“Get home safe, sis. And when you visit Mum and Dad, tell Duke I love him.” The girl, Calum’s sister, laughs and shakes her head.

“I’ll tell them you love them, too.” And then she turns to Luke, hugging him as well.

“It was good to see you, and you too, Ash.” 

“Get home safe, Mali.” I hear Ashton say.

After they’re done, she turns around and leaves the castle, leaving the boys to talk among themselves. I walk away from them as quickly as I can, squeezing my eyes shut for a second to combat my feeling of shame. That was Calum’s sister. I see it now, their family resemblance. How dumb can I be?

My feet, once again, take me to the greenhouse. Luke’ll know if I’ve watered the plant, so I intend to do just that and mark it down on the chart. My hands are squeezed into fists at my sides, and my step is brisk. I feel like a complete and utter fool. Of course it didn’t make sense to him that I was upset, because there’s nothing to be upset about. And I have to admit, even though it’s painful, that if the girl had been someone special, it still wouldn’t have been my business. Especially not my business to get upset about.

I water the plant gingerly, gloves safely on. Its song is still quite sad, and I whisper: “Sorry about that, I didn’t mean to. I got carried away. Don’t die, please.” And it nips at my finger, but not in a painful way. Huh. That’s a first.   
I mark down that it’s been watered and I make a quick note that the flowers have become a slightly darker orange, attaching it to the chart for Luke to see. I feel like a coward for avoiding him, but how can I face him now?


	8. 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one more chapter left after this one! <3

Only two days left of the assignment. The amount of data we have is insane, and I know we have to look into it soon or else we’ll run out of time to finish it. I haven’t spoken to Luke. He’s seen my notes, because they’ve been gone every time I checked the plant. Any classes we have together, we sit on different sides of the room. I can’t believe I’ve let it come to this. All over a misunderstanding that was completely my fault. 

Whenever I see him, he looks like his usual self, except I’ve become more attuned to how he acts so I can tell his shoulders are more slumped than usual. His friends sometimes look over at me and my group of friends, while Luke seems to be trying his best to avoid looking as much as possible. I don’t blame him.

“Lucy, you’re my friend and I love you, you know that. But if you don’t talk to him, I’ll smack you with a broom.” Alix says after charms class, when we’re making our way to herbology, the last class of the day. I know she’s right, of course. Maybe a good broom smacking is what I need to push me into doing something.

“You’re clearly miserable. Not to mention the fact that he still doesn’t know what’s going on.” She goes on.

“I know, I know! Just… what do I tell him?” I say, spreading out my arms.

“The truth.” Brigette chimes in. I look at her, and she’s not joking. 

“The truth is the only thing that’ll explain everything.” Alix adds, nodding in agreement. I sigh, annoyed at the wisdom of my friends. 

***

“I hope you’re all doing well! Your reports are due in two days, ladies and gentlemen! From the looks of it, I’ve seen some plants that are growing nicely.” Professor Sprout says at the end of the class, when we’re putting away our equipment. I’ve managed to actually repot something successfully, and I put my handiwork away, filled with pride. It’s the little victories in life. 

The pang in my chest when I hear Luke’s voice as he talks to Ashton is enough to knock me down a bit again.

Students are filing out once they’re done, my friends leaving in unison. Alix gives me a pointed look over my shoulder. When Luke is about to pass me by, I turn around and put out my arm. It takes every bit of determination not to run away from this moment.

“Hey, sorry, can we… talk?” I say, my voice soft. I almost don’t look at his face, because I don’t want to know how he looks at me, but I force myself to do it. His eyes are set in a neutral expression, again not betraying what’s going on behind them. Like he’s distant again. My heart thumps loudly in my chest.

“The assignment is due in two days, and-“ He scoffs, and I look at him again.

“What?” I ask.

“Just, that’s what you’re saying? You want to talk about school? That’s fine. Let’s finish the assignment then.” He says, turning on his heel towards the back of the room. I follow him, having a hard time matching his long strides. 

My friends must have shuffled out of the room without me noticing, because all of a sudden, we’re alone.

“So, it’s still not doing that great, but at least it’s not dying.” He says, looking intently at the chart. My big handwriting is a contrast to the small check marks he always makes.

“I’ve been working on the report, but it’s a lot. Your notes told me most of what I needed to know, though.” He continues, and I stare at his face. He’s been working on it without me?

“Luke, that’s not… I’m sorry, I just… I messed up, okay?” I stutter, not knowing where to begin. Knowing the truth doesn’t necessarily make it easy to say it.

He looks at me, and I see that his eyes are searching for something in my face. He hangs the chart back, turning his body towards me. I have his full attention. 

It’s the best and the worst.

“I don’t understand you, Lucy. I thought we were friends. Then you got angry at me for something, I don’t know what, and you don’t talk to me for days. What have I done that made me deserve that?” He asks, and I see the hurt flash in his eyes. He’s clearly been going through it the past few days, and my heart aches for him.

“I know. I… it’s hard to explain.” I say sheepishly. I know that’s not an out. Instead, Luke grabs two stools and sets them down in front of me, occupying one himself.

“Please, try.” I sit down on the stool, taking a breath. The words that leave my mouth are not eloquent, but they work.

“Okay, so… I didn’t expect us to become friends, right? But then we did. And I like spending time with you, and getting to know you. And realising that was confusing, because somehow I’d convinced myself that we’d never have anything in common.” I say, and he’s listening closely, his chin resting on his hand. I continue.

“And anyway, as time passed I liked spending time with you more and more. And then,” I say, bracing myself for the part I’m dreading the most, “and then, remember the Quidditch match against Slytherin?” He nods, showing me he’s following, even though he looks confused as to why I’d bring it up.

“And well, I saw you with that girl, and…” I don’t finish the sentence, hoping he catches on. He doesn’t let me get out of it easy, though.

“Go on.” He says, still listening.

“Oh Merlin, okay, so I sort of assumed you liked her, and… and it made me upset. That’s why I lashed out at you. I’m so sorry about that, it wasn’t my place, I realise that. I acted like a jealous twat. And then the plant started dying and it all went to shit, and then I didn’t know how to tell you this.” I conclude, looking at my hands. The plant’s soft tune fills the room. 

“Lucy…” I hear, and I look up as he says my name. His expression has changed. His eyes are no longer sad, they’re almost… relieved? He pulls a hand through his curls.

“First of all: that girl is Calum’s sister. She’s practically a sister to me, too.” He says, and I nod. I already know this now, but it’s still good to hear it from him.

“So you were upset because you thought I liked someone else?” He asks. I nod slowly.

“You do realise I’ve been sat wondering about what it could be for days, right? I thought you’d never speak to me again.” I look up, my eyes big. It’s the way he says it, as if he really means it, that strikes me. I know Luke likes being friends, he has literally told me that, but somehow it never processed as much as right now.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I hope you can forgive me some day.” I say. The tentative smile on his lips is like a blessing. 

“I forgive you. Now that I know what it is, I can place it. Even though I can’t believe you thought I liked Mali.” He says, and he shakes his head a bit, as if the idea is so ludicrous.

“Well, you could have. I didn’t know her. And she is really pretty.” I say, enjoying the fact that the mood is slightly lighter. He continues to shake his head. 

“Fair enough, but just, no.” He stands up from the stool, walking around a bit. I follow him with my gaze, taking in the sight of this golden boy. I’m so relieved we’re talking again.

“I was surprised, though. When you yelled at me, I felt that in my bones.” He says, and I put my head in my hands.

“Sorry. I behaved like a fool, okay?” 

I think of the fact that it’s out there that I like him. He knows now. I mean, there’s no other way he could have interpreted my explanation. I stand up from the stool as well, stretching my slightly shaking limbs. He turns towards me, and suddenly I’m swept up, getting a hug so all-consuming that my feet don’t touch the ground for several seconds. I hug back as best I can, once again feeling those curls tickle my cheek. I hadn’t noticed before that Luke smells like vanilla.

“You are a fool, yes. But I’m one, too. It was too suspicious that Mali was here and suddenly you were different. I just didn’t think…” Now it’s my turn to prompt him to speak up.

“Think what?” I ask, looking up at his face. He looks away for a second, gathering his thoughts.

“Think that you liked me. You know, that way.” The emphasis on the ‘that’ says it all. I suck in my breath almost without wanting to. The air in the room becomes too hot and the plant’s melody rings in my ears. I’m acutely aware of my sweaty upper lip and the fact that my hair’s in a messy bun.

“You mean…” I say, unsure.

“Well, uh, yes.” He says, not as confident as I would have expected him to be.

“Huh.” I say, the sound feeling like it’s being knocked out of me. He laughs, a beaming smile on his face. 

He looks away for a second and his eyebrows shoot up, and I follow his eyes to our little plant that’s not so little anymore. The flowers are in full bloom, a vibrant shade of red. Its song is a relief to hear, not only because this is proof that it’s not sick anymore, but also because it physically relieves pain now. 

We squat down in front of it, mesmerised by it. I forget about its teeth, but when it inevitably lashes out, it merely nibbles on my nose. I laugh, sitting back and touching my face. Luke pulls out some parchment and makes notes, occupied completely by the magical thing in front of us. 

I look at him from the corner of my eye, noting the open and happy expression on his face. The face of the boy I’m in love with.


	9. 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter! Everything's been leading up to this. If you've been reading this fic and got to this point, thank you so much, it means a lot to me to know that people want to read what I write. I hope you enjoy!

Luke and I finish the report right on time. We stay up in the library until past midnight, making adjustments and adding or deleting things. I even made a photo of the plant and put it on there. We fall asleep in the library until I snap awake and shake Luke’s shoulder, a piece of parchment stuck to his cheek. The laugh it pulls out of me echoes through the empty library.

We don’t talk about anything but the report. The elephant in the room is taking on massive proportions. 

“Great work, Ms graves, Mr Hemmings! Your report is remarkably complete, and your plant is thriving. Madam Pomfrey will be pleased to hear she can add yours to her personal collection.” Professor Sprout says, handing us back our report, marked with a big A. I beam at Luke, his face a perfect picture of happiness.

“I can’t believe we made it.” I say as we walk back from her office after our personal feedback moment. The skip in my step is undeniable. Luke is holding the report like it’s a trophy. 

“You did really well, even for someone who claims they haven’t got green fingers.” He says, nudging my shoulder with his. I smile, thanking him.

“Even though it still would have gone terribly wrong if you hadn’t been there to keep us on track.” I say, making him blush just a little. 

It’s weird to be done, now. The assignment was the red thread in our lives this past month. Where do we go without it? Luke and I haven’t talked about that day in the greenhouse, and I haven’t brought it up. Our momentary excitement over the wellbeing of our plant had clouded anything else, and after that there hasn’t been a moment to talk. Not the kind of talk we need to have, anyway. 

Part of me is scared that we’ll go back to how it was before. I really don’t want to go back to how it was before. Telling him the truth was the best course of action and I’m happy I did it. But how do we go on? There’s nowhere to go now.

Neither of us walk anywhere in particular, instead chatting about the report and how proud professor Sprout seemed to be. I can’t handle the way Luke laughs when I crack a joke or when he pulls his fingers through his curls. Every time he does it, the flutters in my chest flare up so hard I think I might explode.

Without realising it, Luke and I walk to the greenhouse. It’s almost like a second home to me now, given how much time I’ve been spending there. I never thought I’d get fuzzy feelings thinking about that place. But here we are. We stop at the entrance, Luke’s arm against my shoulder. He really is ridiculously tall. He puts the report away in his bag and turns towards me.

“Lucy, I need to show you something.” He says, and he looks at me. His eyes are soft, just like the smile on his lips. He tucks some curls behind his left ear and takes a deep breath. What is happening?

“Okay… what-“ I start to say, but he just takes hold of my wrist and walks me to the farthest greenhouse, where they keep those flesh eating fruit trees I ran into that one time. Why is he bringing me here? 

“So I’ve been thinking a lot these past few days, and with the assignment and all it’s been pretty hectic. So now that we’re free, I felt it was time.” He says, looking ahead. He’s rambling a little, almost like he’s nervous. We stop at the door, and he makes me face him so I can’t look inside.

“What are you doing?” I ask, laughing a little. My amused expression seems to comfort him.

“You’ll find out. Now close your eyes.” He says, and I oblige. I hear him walk away slowly and I feel a little lost as I’m trying to make out the sounds. The greenhouse smells like nature, but with a touch of cinnamon. Wizard plants really are the weirdest things. Luke comes back, and I feel a small pot being put into my hands. 

“Open them.” I look at him, and then down at my hands, and I’m met with the cutest little roses I’ve ever seen. They’re in a pot, almost like a miniature rose bush, and their scent is so sweet and fresh it ought to be a perfume. They’re light pink, and they shimmer somehow, like the sun is reflecting their radiance.

“Luke… they’re beautiful. And they’re for me?” I ask, just to make sure. He laughs, nodding.

“They are. I’ve been growing them for a while and figuring out how to care for them, and this past month, the research for our assignment helped me grow them out. And you know what the best part is? If they need to be watered, they chirp, so you can never miss it.” He says, and I want to roll my eyes, but I’m so deeply endeared that I can’t do it. 

“But why? This seems like a lot of effort.” For me, I want to add. I set the pot down on a table, scared I might break it somehow. The quiet elegance of the little roses is mesmerising. I look back to Luke, who is scratching the back of his neck. 

“I wanted to give you something so you’d… if you look at them, you would think of me.” He says, more candid than I could have hoped. I blink a few times, trying to figure out if this is the conversation we are in desperate need of having. 

“I think you succeeded in that.” I say, looking back at him. I fiddle a little with the hem of my skirt. Now or never.

“Good. Merlin, I’m bad at this.” He mumbles, looking down at his shoes. When he looks up again, his eyes are suddenly a lot sadder.

“I don’t want this to end, Lucy. I want to keep seeing you, and spend time with you. I don’t know what else to say. We haven’t talked about it yet because I’m the worst at talking about feelings, but I just… this can’t be the end of it.” He’s gesturing with his hands, the feeling behind his words making his movements bigger. I take a step closer and take his hands in my own, grounding him. He looks at our hands and then at me, eyes big.

“Me neither. Thinking of spending days without you kills my soul a little.” I say, a laugh being forced out of me as I say it. Luke smiles wide, a slight blush covering his cheeks. He takes a step closer.

“That day, when we made up. I meant it. I like you, like, a lot. I’m crazy about you.” He says, and the unmistakeable honesty is clear in his voice. His dimples make his expression that much more adorable, and I lose myself a moment in looking at his face. I feel like I’m allowed to, now.

“That’s really good, because I like you like crazy, too.” I say, not breaking eye contact as I say it. He’s searching my eyes again, and we stand there for what feels like minutes, just assessing what’s going on. Until I can’t take it anymore.

“Okay, if I don’t kiss you now I’m going to lose my absolute mind.” I haven’t fully finished my sentence yet when Luke bends down, taking my face in his hands, and I have just enough time to put a hand in his curls until our lips meet, and I’m kissing Luke, and everything feels right. 

My hands lose themselves in his hair and he’s holding me like I might disappear if he doesn’t. Every small moment, every doubt, every pang, every little bit of confusion and anxiety fades away as finally, we know exactly what the other feels. Our kiss doesn’t last long, but the intensity of it is enough to make it feel like it lasts for hours. When we break apart, he touches his forehead to mine, sighing.

“You have no idea how badly I needed that.” He confesses, his hands resting comfortably on my waist. I chuckle, my hands on his broad chest. 

“I can imagine it, though.” I say. We stay there for a bit, not wanting the moment to end, content in just existing. 

We end up leaving the greenhouse just in time for dinner, and I actually bring the rose plant with me to the Great Hall. Luke finds his friends and gives me a kiss on the forehead in front of everyone, which makes my cheeks feel so warm I must look like a proper tomato. 

I sit down with my friends, proudly setting the rose plant on the table. The look they give me is both of pride and of utter smugness.

“Looks like you’ve got some news.” Alix prompts, looking between us. I just smile, my heart feels so full. I never believed I could feel this way about someone. 

“Yeah, we got an A on our report.” I say, making even Brigette groan. Alix actually slaps my arm.

“Oh”, I add, “and Luke and I are kind of together now.” I say, making both of them squeal a little, until they compose themselves enough to start asking all sorts of questions. I love them so much; without them I’d have never confronted anything I was feeling.   
I talk to them about everything that happened, we somehow stuff food into our mouths before dinner disappears, and afterwards, Luke walks by us, making small talk with my friends. 

We leave the Great Hall together, Luke taking my hand as we walk, and that night the two of us sit in the kitchen together surrounded by every kind of dessert you can imagine. 

The report now hangs above my bed, right over the rose plant.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments make my day, so don't hesitate to leave some ;) <3


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